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On the Boards
Sustaining a Vibrant Seattle Arts Institution

nonprofitfinancefund.org
ontheboards.org
The Situation
On the Boards (OtB) is recognized as a national leader
in the field of contemporary performance. Founded
in 1978 by performance artists in Seattle, WA, the
organization introduces audiences in the Pacific
Northwest to international innovation in dance,
theater, music, and new media. Though OtB’s focus is
worldwide, they also take pride in their community-
based programs, supporting the artistic development
and presentation of artists in their local and regional
performance communities. In Seattle’s artistic mecca,
OtB has carved out a valuable and popular niche,
collaborating with the best avant-garde artists and
presenting organizations in the world.
As with so many arts organizations that experience
success and expansion, growing pains were inevitable.
In 1998, a wonderful performance space was for sale,
and On the Boards found the financial support to
purchase and renovate it.
Though their audiences appreciated the renovated space,
revenue growth could not cover the increased expenses
of OtB’s new facility. For several years, the operation ran
at breakeven or a deficit, which Board members covered
with loans or gifts. There were no financial reserves or
endowment to serve as a safety net. It was clear to the
organization that things could not continue in this manner,
that the underlying enterprise of OtB needed to be as
strong as their commitment to mission and programming.
The Opportunity
In 2005, Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) announced a
national program, the Mid-sized Presenting Organizations
(MPO) Initiative, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable
Foundation (DDCF). MPO was designed to strengthen
artistically outstanding mid-sized presenting organizations
during a time when audience interests, shifts in patterns
of public and private funding, and increased competition
from commercial entertainment were changing all the
rules about presentation content and format.
In addition to providing grants of up to $500,000 over four
years to increase opportunities for artists to create and
perform their work, NFF also offered customized technical
support, including financial management consulting, to
help these companies meet their long-term goals and
maintain their financial health.
After a competitive evaluation process, 17 arts presenting
organizations were selected to participate in the
Initiative. On the Boards was chosen as an organization
with excellent artistic values and accomplishments. They
had already recognized that there were problems in their
company that needed addressing, and had proposed a
plan to improve their long-term financial performance.
“As a direct result of the MPO Initiative, we are 100% debt-
free, we have significant operating and building reserve funds,
we have a long-term strategy for the management of our
facility, and we have developed a culture that allows us to
think proactively about investments in our artistic activities.
We gained a tremendous amount through the NFF technical
support; in particular the systems replacement plan, the
program profitability, and the tailored dashboard are tools that
have changed and are changing our base practices. It is not an
exaggeration to say that the MPO Initiative allowed us to move
from an organization that was struggling to exist to one that is
healthy, stable, and has the capacity to implement our artistic
mission.” Sarah Wilke, Managing Director, OtB

Photo by Dean Buscher, featuring Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM. OtB has been able to grow their support of
regional artists, including reaching out to Vancouver, British Columbia’s choreographer Crystal Pite.
“Through NFF we learned how to use our data to communicate, both
within and outside of our organization. We have been able to state the
case that we are worthy of support to individuals and foundations by
backing up our assertions with hard data and defendable projections.
We also learned how to use our balance sheet to assist us in
sustaining long-term growth. NFF gave us tools for the measurement
of our progress towards goals and those of providing a reality check
for our plans and aspirations. We learned that constraints can offer
opportunities, that there are multiple routes to keeping the good name
of our brand and showing our audience how we feel about them and
honor them.” Lane Czaplinski, Artistic Director, OtB

Photograph by SCUMEK, featuring Bruno Beltrão | Grupo de Rua. Brazilian choreographer Bruno
Beltrão is an example of OtB’s continuing expansion of their international presentations.
What Happened Then? As a result of the NBA findings and recommendations and
as a part of their continued consulting relationship with
NFF, OtB was able to engage in creative scenario planning
As part of the Initiative, On the Boards entered into a four-
and program profitability modeling in order to help
year project with NFF. The goals identified by OtB were
management and Board members set program priorities
to establish operating and building reserve funds, create
and improve their financial bottom line.
an endowment and retire long-term liabilities. Drawing
on their 30 years of experience providing financial
OtB also needed a better way to tell their financial story.
assistance and advice to nonprofits, NFF recommended
NFF provided OtB with an additional set of financial tools
and implemented the following steps:
so they could communicate their position to supporters,
donors, colleagues, and policy-makers. These tools
With their new building, OtB had facilities costs they
concentrated on asset management as well as profit and
hadn’t anticipated, and they needed a game plan—and
loss analysis, helping OtB use all their financial data to
funding—to manage these costs going forward. NFF
make a compelling case.
worked with OtB to hire a local architect and engineer to
conduct a Systems Replacement Plan using funds from
the MPO Initiative.
How Well Did It Work?
For the first time, OtB was able to quantify the financial
commitment for the deferred and ongoing maintenance of OtB’s initial goals in participating in this Initiative were to
establish operating and building reserve funds, create an
their building. The assessment also estimated the future
endowment and retire long-term liabilities. Did they accomplish
building costs over the next 20 years, so OtB could begin
what they set out to accomplish? Let’s take a look!
to save and fundraise accordingly.
Over the four-year period of the MPO Initiative, with the
NFF employed their Nonprofit Business Analysis (NBA),
help and guidance of NFF, OtB:
which examines an organization’s past financial trends
to help inform their future planning. NFF completed an
Established a $250,000 cash reserve and a $100,000
NBA to understand OtB’s historical financial trends and
building fund.
current situation.
 On the Boards FYE 2005 FYE 2009
Total Debt $135,000 0
Months of Cash and Investments 1.8 Months 4.3 Months
Total Unrestricted Liquid Net Assets –$252,000 $196,000
Months of Unrestricted Liquid Net Assets –3.3 Months 2.2 Months
Gross Fixed Assets $4,109,000 $4,282,000
(property, plant & equipment)
Accumulated Depreciation $803,000 $1,409,000
Unrestricted Operating Expenses $902,000 $1,055,000
(before depreciation)
Expense Growth Rate –12% 2%

Retired all long-term liabilities, more than $121,000.
Met the terms of and received a $250,000 challenge grant
from a local foundation to establish an endowment.
Created and began implementation of a full Systems
Replacement Plan to care for and fund their building
and equipment.
achievement—which is used by Board and staff as a
touchstone for all planning.
Strengthened their balance sheet and their liquidity
significantly, allowing more flexibility for their future
operations. As of June 30, 2010, OtB was a $1.2
million organization with total net assets of more than
$3.6 million.

Developed new initiatives and tools for programming and
administration of their organization, including OtB.tv, an
innovative on-demand online broadcast of On the Boards
performances, and the Organization Dashboard, a snapshot
to gauge the health of all parts of the company—from
financial performance to audience satisfaction to artistic
After completing their work with NFF in the DDCF-funded
MPO Initiative, OtB is now in a strong financial position,
able to support their building costs, and to provide the
Seattle community with outstanding arts programming for
years to come.
The mission of On the Boards is to introduce audiences to international
innovators in contemporary dance, theater and music while developing
and presenting new work by Northwest artists. Since its inception in
1978, OtB has become a leading center for the creation and presentation
of contemporary performance and has featured breakthrough
performances by leading stars. Their primary activities are: the
Inter/National Series, presenting artists from around the world; the
Northwest Series, commissioning, producing and presenting works by
regional artists and companies; OntheBoards.tv: a video-on-demand
platform presenting filmic versions of performance online; the NW New
Works Festival, an annual festival of world premiere contemporary
performances by Northwest artists; and 12 Minutes Max, a monthly
showcase of short works by local artists. ontheboards.org.

Photo by Juniper Shuey, featuring Ezra Dickenson, Zoe Scofield,

Christiana Axelsen. OtB was able to commission and develop the
work of Seattle choreographer Zoe Scofield who has gone on to tour
nationally and internationally.
About Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is to
improve the quality of people’s lives through grants supporting
the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical
research and the prevention of child abuse, and preservation of
the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke’s properties.
Learn more at ddcf.org.
Photograph by Chris Herzfeld, featuring Kristina Chan performing
“construct,” by Tanja Liedtke. OtB has been able to present a variety
of international artists, including the only performance in the US by
Tanja Liedtke.

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